My Goals and University Vision and Mission

Being in the healthcare field for over 25 years gave me the incentive to see many changes, variations that include enhancements in patient care and medical treatments to advancements in nursing documentation.  I have worked in a multitude of nursing positions to include providing direct patient care, accreditation manager, and lastly administration.  I am currently working as a Health Service Administrator.  I oversee all patient care for all departments to include mental health, dental, provider care, nursing as well as support services.

I miss providing direct patient care, being an administrator does not allow a person to provide that one on one care.  Recently, I have made some challenging decisions that will change my family’s life forever.  I want to get back into providing that hands on patient care just in a higher status. I set a goal to be a nurse practitioner over 20 years ago and now it is within reach.  Life changes such as marriage, taking care of my mother who was ill, having a family, and finishing my Bachelor’s Degree came first.  I am now ready to reach the goal I set so long ago.  My professional goal is to work as a Family Nurse Practitioner.

I need flexibility to continue my dream of being a nurse practitioner, which Walden offers.  According to Walden University College of Nursing, it offers the degree I have strived for and a program that allows an individual to further their schooling and experience without stopping life (n.d).  Walden’s vision of the degree being “judged worthy” to its graduates that will advance the world is very powerful (2020b).  It is a vision that means my degree from Walden will be worth the hard work and dedication I intend to put into it. Graduating with a degree that stands for excellence and honor is influential.

I want to deliver quality medical care to my patients and promote a healthy lifestyle for all of my patients. With this type of promotion, it will inspire a positive social change with my patients and their families. Walden’s Master of Science in Nursing distinctively outlines the objectives of decreasing health inequalities, encouraging a health lifestyle and contributing to superior healthcare delivery (2020a).

Incorporation of Social Changes

Walden defines social change as a “process of creating and applying ideas, strategies, and actions to promote the worth, dignity and development of individual’s, communities, organizations, institutions, cultures, and societies (2020b).”   I truly feel this is important as it demonstrates behavior that promotes the well-being of others.  I plan to incorporate the foundation of my education to the culture of my community and to the patients and families in which I will provide care.

References

Walden University (n.d.). College of Nursing. Retrieved from

https://www.waldenu.edu/college-of-nursing

Walden University Catalog (2020a). Masters of Science in Nursing- MSN Learning

Outcome. Retrieved from https://catalog.waldenu.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=178&poid=70112&returnto=64000

Walden University Catalog (2020b).  Vision, Mission, and Goals.  Retrieved from

https://catalog.waldenu.edu/content.php?catoid=178&navoid=63595

response

 Twenty-five years of being in the healthcare field, wow, I would love to pick your brain someday!  I can say without a doubt you have probably seen some of the most substantial and beneficial changes to healthcare in those years.  You are right, life happens, but kudos to you for perusing and now having your twenty years goal as you said, ‘within reach’.  

 I too love Walden’s flexibility within its program.  So many other programs out there require you to take xyznumber of classes per term and for some of us it just isn’t feasible.  Walden’s program is different, whereas those of us whom may need to continue working or caring for families, or whatever the reason may be, can continue to do so while enrolled in the MSN program.  Walden offers a program taught by practitioners and the online program “empowers you to further your education without pausing your life”.  (College of Nursing 2020)  This is one of the main reasons I choose to go to Walden University as well.  I couldn’t like you said, ‘stop life’ just to go back to school.  I need a school that will work with my life and the craziness that goes with it.    

 One key networking team I would suggest for you would be to remain in close contact with your academic advisor.  My academic advisor has been in touch with me since prior to day one and has been nothing but helpful in the starting process at Walden.  When you access the advising homepage and go to the ‘I’d like information about..’ (Student Success Advising Home: Home 2020) section, I typed in ‘nursing’ and a multitude of information came up on precepting and practicum and basically everything else nursing related you might need a quick answer on.  Utilizing people and resources like this will help ensure your granted success at Walden University.  Good Luck! 

References

College of Nursing. Walden University. (2020). https://www.waldenu.edu/college-of-nursing?_ga=2.236628033.1743615782.1602622480-819794492.1602622480.

Student Success Advising Home: Home. Academic Guides. (2020). https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/academicadvising.

Discussion: Networking Opportunities

This week you begin to lay the foundation for your academic and professional success. Your efforts begin with a vision, which includes your own definition of success. Your vision may vary from those of your colleagues, but this does not mean you have to take these first steps alone.

Walden University and the College of Nursing also have a vision and mission, which include helping you to make your own vision a reality. Members of your new academic community, such as faculty, support teams, and fellow students, can also be helpful. Current practitioners and other members of the professional community can also help you to clarify your vision.

This week’s Discussion asks you to think about how the Walden mission and vision and the College of Nursing mission and vision apply to your professional and academic goals. You will also begin to identify individuals and teams that can help you along the way, as you begin to design the “blueprint”—your Academic Success and Professional Development Plan—that will guide you toward your own vision for academic and professional success.

To Prepare:

• Review the Walden and the College of Nursing mission and vision statements, Walden’s goals and University Outcomes, and the MSN Program Learning Outcomes presented in this week’s Learning Resources.
• Reflect on your professional and academic goals as they relate to your program/specialization.
• Consider how the information in these resources fit with your own goals and to your becoming a scholar-practitioner.
• Also consider academic and professional individuals and teams that you may collaborate with in support of your efforts as a student at the University and as a professional within your organization and career.

By Day 3

Post a brief post introducing yourself to your colleagues. Include an explanation for how Walden’s vision, mission, goals, and social change initiatives relate to your professional and academic goals and to your becoming a scholar-practitioner. Also include an explanation for how the Walden MSN program outcomes and perspectives relate to your professional and academic goals and to your becoming a scholar-practitioner.

Support main post with 3 of more current, credible sources and cite source within content of posting and on a reference list in proper APA.

By Day 6

Respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days, by suggesting additional individuals and/or teams with whom to collaborate or by offering additional networking strategies.

Be sure to offer support from at least 2 current, credible sources in each required response to classmates’ main post and cite per APA.

 

sample response 2

I am so impressed that you have been in health care for 25 years. As a relatively new nurse of 6 years, I am in awe of the changes and advancements you have experienced. I admire the choice you have made to continue to learn and advance your career. I too, have an unexplainable love for bedside nursing. While my co-workers are striving to get away from the bedside, I am doing everything I can to advance my career, but remain at the bedside. I started this journey at another institution studying to become an FNP, but the thought of seeing 40 or so patients a day in an office didn’t appeal to me at all. I have chosen the acute route with the hopes of remaining in the hospital and being able to care for patients at the bedside.

Walden appealed to me for the flexibility as well. I currently work two jobs. One as a clinical instructor for my local nursing school and the other as a bedside nurse on the med-surg floor of my local hospital. Needless to say, I’m a busy lady. Fortunately, my children are all grown.

I am very impressed with the resources that Walden provides. I have attended several on-line schools throughout this journey and none of them have provided the resources in their portals the way Walden does. The networking tips were of particular interest to me, as I have not previously seen that aspect as important. I did not realize that “70% of jobs are found through professional networking” (Walker, 2018). I now see that even though i have an aversion to networking and putting myself out there, it is both essential and beneficial to become a “confident networker” (Walker, 2018). I’m sure, as an administrator, you have plenty of experience in this area. It is a skill I hope to master during my time at Walden.

Reference:

https://nurse.org/articles/tips-for-nurse-networking/